God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
by iEvenstarEstel
Summary: All Abby wanted was a peaceful holiday with her Connors and their daughter, but ghosts from her past threaten her happiness and that of her family. Takes place in the Triptychverse.
1. Chapter 1

This is my entry for the LJ Community "Connor and Abby" Secret Santa 2011. I'm writing for darkhorse_99 and her prompt of 'christmas trees', as well as her prompt for 'pie'. She also wanted 'man-flirting, old friends and holiday shopping' and this fic has all three! She is also fond of the Triptychverse therefore this story takes place in that universe.

The link for Triptychverse Masterlist can be found in my profile.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen  
>2011 Evensar Estel<p>

Chapter 1

_God rest ye merry, gentlemen. Let nothing you dismay..._

Abby breathed in the crisp night air and reveled in the scent of cinnamon and roasted chestnuts. She'd never much cared about the Christmas season for the first half of her life. Her mother had made an effort when she and Jack were little, but as the years passed and the line of her mother's transient boyfriends and husbands grew ever longer, Natalie Maitland had ceased to bother making sure Abby had a good holiday. What spare money there was went on Jack and Abby usually found herself with token gifts that held no love or sentiment.

The years passed and Connor Temple came into her life, and then another Connor Temple did. Now, her Connors showered her with love, affection, devotion and innumerable gifts each and every year.

It wasn't the quantity or even the gifts themselves that mattered, but rather the thought and love they put into choosing them. They'd confer and agonize for weeks over the issue and not once did they ever miss the mark. When their daughter had come into their lives, Abby was actually a little relieved the boys had someone new to spoil. It had been getting out of hand. Where Leia was concerned, the Connors knew no boundaries, yet their child was not a spoiled brat. In fact she had an amazingly generous soul and recognized and appreciated how loving her family was. Abby looked to her right and beheld her daughter. At nearly thirteen years old, Amelia Ann was Abby's greatest source of joy and pride. The young lady was the perfect combination of her mother and her fathers. She had Abby's fine features and blue eyes. She also had the patented Temple dimple in her left cheek and thick dark hair just like her fathers.

Hand in hand the two walked along the snowy streets, passing by the shop windows decorated with their holiday fare, as well as others just like them, trying to get in some last minute Christmas shopping. Abby watched Leia with her bright eyes shining at all the Christmas decorations and cheer that lined the street. There was something inherently magical about parts of London at Christmas. It was like stepping into the Victorian Era and held none of the crass commercialism that sometimes plagued the holiday. Abby found it hard to believe that in a few weeks Leia would be turning thirteen. It seemed like only yesterday she'd been a little baby still reaching up to one of her parents for a cuddle. Abby smiled, there were still cuddles from time to time. The four of them were exceptionally close and Abby and Leia both were cherished by their Connors.

Leia wasn't quite so old that she didn't still look forward to Christmas with every bit as much enthusiasm as when she'd still believed in Father Christmas. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve and the Temples were hosting a party for some of their friends. They'd spend the morning of Christmas Day at home, then make the drive up to Connor's mum's for dinner and Boxing Day.

The holiday was shaping up to be wonderful and Abby was thoroughly enjoying it. She gave her daughter's hand a squeeze and Leia looked over at her mum, nearly the same height as her, and smiled.

A light dusting of snow was falling and both girls blinked the flakes off their eyelashes.

"Cold?" Abby asked. Leia was bundled up in her coat with gloves and one of Connor's fedora hats, but Abby asked nonetheless.

"Mmm, probably cold enough to need a hot chocolate," Leia replied.

"Thought as much, me too. What say we head to Wendel's for a cuppa, then head home? Your Dad should have supper ready soon, I think he said something about a savoury pie."

"Oh brilliant. Seriously, no one cooks better than Daddy, 'cept maybe Grandmum."

"Well, where did you think Daddy learned it all?"

With their arms laden with shopping bags the two girls made their way to their favourite den for warm drinks and perhaps if they were tempted, cinnamon rolls. As they passed by the very hat shop where Connor had purchased Leia's proffered cap a rather dapper fellow stepped out carrying a hat box.

"Auntie Anton!" Leia exclaimed, breaking away from her mother and rushing headlong into Abby's dearest friend. Dressed in his usual fare of designer jeans, a chic jumper and a posh trench, Anton Lake grinned happily and wrapped Leia up in a hug. Since Leia had been born, Anton Lake of the London Police Force had been a permanent fixture in the lives of the Temple family. Over the years the man had gone through many changes. When they'd first met Anton he had preferred to dress as a woman. And while he more or less still considered himself a woman in a man's body, he'd chosen to remain as he was born. He was comfortable and self assured and still as fabulous as ever. However, his blond hair relied on a monthly visit to a salon to keep the gray at from becoming too prominent.

"Hello darlings," Anton said cheerily as he gave Leia a hug. He kissed Abby on both her cheeks.

"Hello Antonia," said Abby, returning her friend's embrace. "Last minute gifts?"

"Not telling," he replied with a smile.

"Would you like to join us? We're going to Wendel's."

"Sounds divine, Becks won't be home till late, he's meeting his mum." Abby understood the stress of difficult families. The Temples considered Hilary Becker a member of the family, just like they did Anton Lake. Becker's father had not accepted that his son was gay. Rather than try to understand, he'd shut his son out. Fortunately Becker's mother saw things differently and loved her son no matter what.

It was fate when Eye Patch had introduced his friends to each other. Somehow the two just _fit_. It wasn't love at first sight, as Becker still wondered if he wasn't just bisexual, but over time the two men had bonded, fallen in love and now lived together as partners - with a rather serious firearm collection and a calico cat named Penelope. Every December 23rd, Becker took his mother out for an expensive dinner and to exchange gifts. Anton refrained from accompanying them, letting the two have the quality time together they deserved. "Lead on my lovely," Anton announced, indicating to Leia to take them to the land of hot chocolate and gooey confections.

Leia took Anton's hand and reached for her mother's, but when her mum didn't take the hand her daughter offered, Leia looked at Abby's face and saw an expression painted upon it that she very rarely saw - fear. Leia followed her mother's frozen gaze across to the other side of the street where another woman who looked very much like Abby stood watching them.

"Mum?" Leia asked, her voice small and nervous. Abby turned to her daughter and gave her a loving smile.

"Why don't you two go on ahead, I'll follow in a minute," Abby suggested. Anton knew who the woman was and nodded his head.

"Mum? Who is that?"

Abby gave her daughter a kiss on her cheek and nudged her towards Anton as she passed him their shopping bags. "Go with Antonia, sweetie."

"But mum..."

"Please do as I ask."

Leia didn't like the looks of the situation one bit, but reluctantly obeyed. As Anton ushered her away, she kept looking back at Abby. Her mum walked across the street towards the woman and stopped several feet away, tossing the long braid of her hair behind her shoulders and putting her hands in the pockets of her coat. Leia didn't often worry for her mother, Abby was strong and confident, but the young girl's instincts told her this was a bad situation.

!*!*!

"Abigail," Natalie Maitland stated flatly, straightening her back.

Abby cringed inwardly. She honestly hated it when her mother called her by her full name. The way she said it was always condescending and full of disdain. If she lived to be a hundred, Abby would never understand what went on inside the head of the woman that had given her life. Still when the two women had locked eyes across the street, Abby had felt a foolish compulsion to come and talk to her mother. They'd not seen each other in years and for the most part Abby never thought of her. But seeing her now, Abby still felt the pull to try and find just a fraction of the connection with her mother that she shared with Leia.

"Hello," Abby replied. "You're looking well." The compliment was genuine. Abby had always thought her mother was beautiful and age hadn't diminished her beauty.

"That was the child then?"

Abby sighed, finding it difficult to keep her cool. "That was my daughter. She'll be thirteen in January."

"She seems younger."

"She's still finding her feet, but she's actually quite mature for her age."

"And the man? Did you finally distance yourself from those two..."

"No," Abby stated quite firmly. "He's a family friend. Connor, Drake and I are still together."

"Indeed." Natalie's tone was as icy as ever. Any mention of Abby's husbands was obviously a trigger. Abby understood and always had, that her marriage was an unorthodox one, but where there was true, lasting love, why did the shape it took matter so much?

"I'm not sure why I came over," Abby continued, not really sure where she was going with what she was saying. "I said some things the last time we saw each other that effectively ended our relationship, but you are still my mother, so I couldn't ignore you. I don't know if you've thought about me, or your granddaughter over the years, but..."

"Ah, Natalie! I was wondering where you'd got too," came a man's voice from behind Abby. She recognized it instantly and it made her blood run cold. Abby felt her stomach drop and her hands begin to shake inside her coat pockets. The man coasted up to her mother and put his arm around her shoulders. Abby had to force herself to look at him. He had changed over the past two decades. He still towered over both her and her mother. His hair was almost entirely white now and thinning. He'd always kept it cut short. His hawkish nose still dominated his face and the smarmy smile that had always made her stomach roil was still plastered to his face. He'd put on weight and his stomach had a paunch to it. And of course, there was still something sinister behind his eyes, something predatory that now made Abby nothing but angry. She closed her hands into fists and thrust her chin out.

"Oh Frank! Look who it is," announced Natalie. Abby could have sworn there was a hint of amusement to her mother's voice. The man turned to behold Abby and in that instant she was assailed with the memories of being fifteen years old again him running his hand up her inner thigh and under her skirt at the dinner table and coming horrifically close to where she absolutely didn't want to be touched by him! Throughout her mother's marriage to Frank, Abby had spent years in fear and under great stress. To compound the matter when Abby had told her mother of Frank's molestation of her, her mother hadn't believed her. She'd accused Abby of being jealous and ungrateful. It was in that moment Abby came to the realisation that her mother did not actually love her. It wasn't until Natalie had caught him in bed with the neighbour did she remove him from their lives. It wasn't until the offense had been committed to Natalie personally did she take action. Abby's pain and discomfort had been irrelevant.

"Abigail," Frank laughed. "It's been so long, you've hardly changed. Still with your hair in a braid too." Abby had started to wear her hair short not too long after an incident in the kitchen when Abby had been cooking supper and Frank had come up behind her, run his hand through her long tresses and then squeezed her bottom. A day later her hair was three inches long and Frank told her she looked terrible. That didn't stop his advances like Abby had hoped it would. It wasn't until her Connors came along that she grew it out. Under their touches and caresses, she felt sexy and loved. Now her long hair made her feel beautiful.

Abby lost her voice. She was dumbfounded. A full thirty seconds of uncomfortable silence passed before Abby cleared her throat and spoke. "You're back together?"

Natalie smiled and leaned into Frank, patting his chest. "We ran into each other a few months ago and the old spark was still there!" Natalie beamed.

Abby felt sick to her stomach. She knew she should just turn on her heels and walk away ask fast as her feet would carry her, but she was rooted to the spot in her own private hell.

!*!*!

Leia kept looking over her shoulder to see if her mum was coming. Her hot chocolate, and the one they'd ordered for Abby, was getting cold. Leia had barely touched hers. Her fathers had always told her she had very strong instincts and should always trust them. Right now they were practically screaming at her to go and check on her mum. Something about the other woman didn't sit right with the girl. The sight of her had upset her mum a great deal and Leia wished either her Dad or her Papa was with them.

"Don't worry," Anton spoke, sat across the table from the youngest Temple. "Your mum will be along soon enough."

"Do you know who that was?" Leia asked, looking him square in the eye. She had her mother's fire and Anton had never been very good at rebuffing either Temple woman. In fact, no man in their circle ever could.

"Oh your mother's going to kill me!" Anton lamented.

"Auntie Anton, c'mon!"

"That wretched harpy was your grandmother."

Leia's jaw dropped. As far as she knew she only had one grandparent, her Grandmum Carol. Whenever she asked her parents about their parents she was always told that her Granddad Temple had died many years ago and that her mum's parents were long gone too.

"That's mum's mum? Why haven't I met her before?"

"Because, honey, she's not a very nice lady and your mum did the right thing by never letting her near you, trust me."

"You know her?"

"Sort of, had a run with her when I arrested your Uncle Jack."

"I have an uncle?"

Anton groaned. He was in so much trouble. "Listen, pumpkin, I'm not the one who should be talking with you about this. You mum's not had an easy go of it with her side of the family. You have to ask her yourself. You're old enough to handle the truth, just ask."

"I really want to go back to mum. I don't want her to be alone. Please? I promise I won't say anything about what you told me!"

Anton sighed and gave in. Truth be told he hadn't wanted to leave Abby alone with her mother either. He never forgot the confrontation the two women had over a decade previous when Abby had been pregnant with her daughter. He understood about toxic families, but Abby's mother had put all others to shame.

"Okay, let's go get your mum. She'll probably want a rescue by now."

!*!*!

Abby had stopped listening to Frank and her mother talk about how they'd gotten back together. The whole thing made Abby want to wretch. She was just thankful she'd sent Leia away.

"Mummy?" her daughter called as she came rushing to her mother's side. Abby's heart sunk and before she could stop it from happening, Leia was glued to her side and in the presence of two people Abby would have preferred her daughter never come in contact with. Anton cast Abby an apologetic look. Abby sighed and put her arm around Leia's shoulders.

"Time to go home, we'll be late for dinner," Abby spoke, already directing her child away.

"Well, aren't you a pretty little thing," Frank piped up taking a step towards Abby and Leia. "I'm Frank. You know, you look just like your mother did at your age." He extended his hand in Leia's direction, as if to stroke her hair and Abby saw red.

"Don't you touch her! Don't you even look at her!" Abby shouted, smacking Frank's hand away and drawing the attention of several fellow shoppers on the street. Abby closed her arms around her daughter to shield her. Anton touched Abby's shoulder but she shrugged his hand away.

"Abby, let's go," Anton bade, tugging her away as best he could with all the bags he was carrying. Abby stared hard at Frank and her mother. How could the woman still be so utterly oblivious?

"Mum? Mum, I want to go home," Leia begged. The panic in her daughter's voice spurned Abby into action and without a second glance at her mother or her former stepfather, sped them away. Anton followed behind them all the way back to the car. Abby was shaking and ordered Leia into the car while she opened the boot and took their bags from Anton.

"Abby, I'm sorry," Anton tried to apologize.

"Never mind it. Honestly," Abby said as she hastily put the bags in the car. "We'll see you tomorrow."

"Please tell the lads when you get home."

"I just want to forget, okay? It's easier that way."

Anton sighed. It wasn't his place to interfere. He knew her husbands would notice she was upset. The two men were keenly tuned to Abby's moods. Anton also knew Leia wouldn't let things pass without ensuring her mother was all right. He watched them drive away and sighed heavily. He looked back at in the direction they'd come from and narrowed his eyes. Becker wouldn't be home for hours yet, Anton could afford to go back to the station. He had a few things he wanted to look into.

tbc...


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Together the two Connors wrangled the tree up the flight of stairs and to the living room with minimal damage done to the tree or the flat. Abby always insisted upon a live tree in a pot that they could go and plant somewhere after the holiday was over. Fortunately they pursuaded two soldiers from the ARC to give them a lift, as Abby also insisted on one taller than anyone in the household. They'd decorate the tree tomorrow with their friends and enjoy a good evening of food, drink and merriment. Leia and Connor had been baking, cooking and decorating all week in preparation. Eye Patch and Abby did the sensible thing and stayed out of their way. They family would be up early on Christmas morning and spend it together before taking the dog to Becker and Anton, who would in turn come to look after Sid, Nancy and Rex. The family would make their way up to Connor's mother's in Blackburn for Christmas Dinner and come home on Boxing Day. It was more or less the same plan they'd followed for the past several years.

The two men put the tree where Abby had told them to and took a moment to admire the result of their efforts. Eye Patch rolled his shoulders and cracked his joints. Connor did likewise, but then came up behind his husband and lay his hands on his shoulders, massaging them while kissing the back of Eye Patch's neck.

"Mmm, s'nice," Eye Patch rumbled, leaning back into his lover's touch. "Shame we don't have more time."

"We'll have time enough once Leia's asleep," Connor offered. Eye Patch turned around in the circle of Connor's arms and drew him into a kiss. Even after more than fifteen years together, their desires for each other and for Abby hadn't diminished in the least. There was something deeply comforting in knowing the three of them were even more in love than they were when they'd first got together. The passion just never seemed to fade. The men wrapped their arms around each other and sunk into deep tongue kisses, whiskers rasping against each. Eye Patch had been growing out his beard again, as he did from time to time. There was a mutual understanding between all the Temples, but particularly Connor's mother and Eye Patch. They still pretended that Eye Patch was a fellow called Drake and not a doppleganger for her son, and the beard masked all evidence of the truth. The two had become close over the years and he called her 'mum' just as Abby did.

Connor stroked his fingers through the thick mop of hair on Eye Patch's head. The darkness was streaked with a few strands of gray, as was his beard, but Connor found it quite alluring. Connor had a few gray hairs for but the most part could still pass for a man in his thirties. The same went for Abby. Whether it was genetics or love keeping them young, people sometimes found it hard to believe they had a nearly thirteen year old child.

Connor reluctantly pulled away from Eye Patch, who protested by giving the younger man's arse a squeeze. "Sorry, mate, don't want dinner to burn," Connor apologized.

Eye Patch relented but stole another kiss before letting Connor go.

"Make yourself useful and set the table?" Connor asked. Eye Patched nodded his head and followed Connor back in the direction of the kitchen. As Connor got the meat and veggie pie out of the oven, and Eye Patch put the salad together, they heard the tell tale sounds of their girls entering the flat. As the men went to greet them, they immediately noticed something was wrong. Abby dropped her shopping just inside the front door and Leia locked up behind her mum. Leia looked like she was on the verge of tears and Abby couldn't raise her head to meet her husbands' eyes as she ascended the stairs.

"Abbs?" Connor questioned as Abby arrived at the landing. Both men reached for her but she waved them off.

"I have a terrible headache," she mumbled. "Need to lie down for a while, have dinner without me." Without a second glance or stopping to acknowledge any of their pets, Abby traversed the flat into the bedroom and closed the door behind her. The two men turned their attention to their daughter who had watched her mother go. Leia looked at her fathers with her bottom lip trembling and a second later tears erupted from her eyes.

"Kitten!" Eye Patch exclaimed, immediately pulling their daughter into his arms. Connor hugged her from behind and stroked her head to soothe her.

"Tell us what's wrong," Connor begged. Leia trembled and hugged tight to her Papa until she'd calmed down enough to speak.

"They scared mum!" Leia exclaimed.

"What? Who did?" Eye Patch demanded in an even tone, but Connor instantly felt the man's ire and rage building up at the thought that someone had dared to threaten the mother of their child.

"I don't know who the man was, but Anton said it was mum's mum."

Eye Patch cursed under his breath and met Connor's eyes. Both men had stern, angry looks on their faces.

"How did they scare mum, then?" Connor asked. Leia composed herself and let go her of her Papa. Between her two fathers Leia felt safe and calm. She took off her coat, hat, gloves and boots. She hastily explained all that had transpired, beginning with running into Anton and the drive home in which Abby was silent and stone faced and had ignored Leia's pleas for an explanation. "Do you know what the man's name was?" Connor asked when Leia was done.

"He said his name was Frank." Eye Patch and Connor looked at each other and a silent understanding passed between them. Connor jerked his head in the direction of the bedroom and Eye Patch nodded before breaking away from Leia and making his way to where Abby was. "Daddy?" questioned Leia.

"Come sit with me, love," Connor bade, directing her towards the living room couch. Leia looked back in the direction of her parents' bedroom to see her Papa disappear inside before she went with her Dad. The pair sat on the couch cross-legged and facing each other.

It often seemed it was Connor who had the big discussions with their daughter. A year ago he'd been the one to tell her the truth about her family's origins and that her Papa was an older, alternate version of himself. He'd explained how it was they fell in love and how not everyone understood. Leia accepted the truth easily, knowing all that truly mattered was that they all loved each other. She also wasn't naive or ignorant - she knew about sex, what it was to be gay or bisexual and there again, all that mattered to her was that her parents all loved each other. Leia possessed a maturity that humbled her parents. She also accepted and actually loved the fact that she'd never know who out of the two it was that had gotten her mum pregnant. She had two fathers and considered herself extremely lucky for it.

"Your mum didn't have an easy start," Connor began, not shying away from the piercing gaze his daughter had inherited from her mother. "Her dad left the family when Abby and her younger brother Jack were younger than you. He never came back and your mum never saw him again or knew what became of him. Her mum, who's called Natalie, thought that she needed to have a man in her life to feel like a whole person. Now, this didn't have anything to do with wanting a partner or someone to love. She had it in her head that unless there was someone around to make her feel like she was number one, her life didn't matter."

"But what about mum? Couldn't she do that?"

"She tried, but I don't think Natalie really cared much about her daughter. Not like your mum does you, you're her whole world. I also think that Natalie needed it to be a man who made her feel important. Understand what I'm saying?" Leia nodded and Connor knew his daughter would draw the correct, but sad conclusion. "So there were lots of new men coming and going from your mum's life. Eventually Natalie married one called Frank when your mum was about your age. Frank wasn't a good man, in fact he was a very bad one. He used to touch your mum..." Connor's voice trailed off at Leia's audible gasp. He reached out and took her hand in his. "Your mum was getting older, becoming a young woman. Frank knew it was wrong but he didn't care, he only wanted what he wanted..." Connor paused and swallowed hard. He held Leia's hand firm, knowing how upset she must be at hearing that her mother was abused.

"Did... did he... was mum..." Leia's eyes had filled with tears and Connor's heart broke. He _hated_ that he had to tell his baby these wretched truths. He knew what his daughter was trying to ask. He and Eye Patch had asked themselves the same question more than once. Abby had assured them that the worst Frank ever did was put his hand up her skirt, but if Connor were honest with himself he'd admit he didn't believe his wife.

Connor reached out and stroked Leia's hair. "No, your mum was never hurt like that," he assured Leia. Connor felt like he'd just told a lie. He cast his eyes towards the bedroom and sighed. "The point is, love, your grandmother never believed your mum and never protected her like a mother should. She was so wrapped up in her own needs she couldn't see that your mum was in pain, and if she did, she didn't care. Eventually Frank had an affair with the neighbour and that's when their marriage ended. For Natalie to start up a relationship with that man again is a hard slap in the face to your mum. Seeing them together again brought up all those bad memories. Your mum was on her own not too long after Frank left. Too young. Things got better for her once she met me."

"And Papa."

"Yeah, especially Papa. Then you came along, and everything was perfect. We couldn't ask for anything more. Leia, your mum will be okay. You don't have to worry about her. She's upset now, but by tomorrow she'll be fine."

"Can we go be with mum now? I want to give her a hug."

"Course we can. I'm sure she'd love a hug." They rose and Leia threw her arms around her father's waist and squeezed him tight. Connor returned the embrace and kissed the top of her head. "Your mum's a strong woman. She's amazing."

!*!*!

Eye Patch opened the bedroom door as quietly as possible and slipped into the room, closing it behind him. He saw the outline of his wife's body on the bed. The room was dark save for the light coming in from the window. He bent down and picked up Abby's discarded coat from the floor and lay it over the chest at the end of the bed. He stood up her boots and put them out of the way. He wondered for a moment if she was asleep, huddled up in the fetal position in the middle of the big bed, until he heard her sniffle and saw her body tremble.

Careful not to jostle her too much, he crawled on to the bed with her and lay himself down with his chest flush against her back. He insinuated his arm under her neck and across her shoulders, while the other wrapped around her middle, pulling her back against him. He tucked his knees up behind hers and lay his cheek to the side of her face. When suddenly her breath hitched and she began to sob, Eye Patch held her tight.

He kissed her cheek, the side of her jaw and behind her ear. He knew there were no words to soothe her and he hoped his presence would be enough. His every instinct told him to hunt down her monster of a stepfather and snap his neck with his bare hands. He also knew that was a foolish thought. Abby just needed him to love her and comfort her and that's what he would do. It broke him in two to have her crying in his arms like this. It had been twenty five years since she'd lived under the same roof as the man who had molested her, but he was sure that having all her memories brought to the surface again must have been absolutely crushing her.

Abby wrapped her arms around his and continued to cry. He whispered his love for her against her ear. She cried for a long stretch of time until finally she'd shed all the tears she could muster. He wiped the moisture from her face and kissed the corner of her mouth.

"You're safe now," he spoke in a hushed tone. "And so's our girl. He'll never set foot in our home. He'll never touch you again."

Abby nodded and her older Connor hugged her even tighter.

"He saw Leia. I'd sent her off with Anton, but she came back..."

"She was worried about you."

"I know. I wish she hadn't. Frank saw her and he got the same look in his eyes that I saw a thousand times when I was a kid. It disgusts me!"

"Me too. He's lucky me or Connor weren't there, we'd have not been able to control ourselves like you did."

"I didn't do so great a job. I got angry and shouted at him. I scared Leia."

"She's not scared, she's just concerned for you. Connor's talking with her right now."

"I didn't want her to ever know! She shouldn't have to know about people like him!"

"She's a smart girl, she knows about the bad people in this world. She can handle the truth."

"But she shouldn't have to!"

"No she shouldn't but she _can_. She's your daughter, Abby; she's strong. Oh, love, I'm so sorry this happened."

"Why did it have to happen right at Christmas? This is so awful!"

"Don't work yourself up. Christmas will be wonderful. We're together, all four of us. Tomorrow we'll be with our friends, then we'll all wake up on Christmas morning and open presents. After that we'll be with Mum in Blackburn. It's going to be a lovely holiday. I promise."

Abby sniffled and nodded. "You always keep your promises." Just then the bedroom door opened and both Abby and Eye Patch turned to see Leia and Connor coming in. Eye Patch took his arms away so that as Leia climbed on to the bed she could snuggle up to her mother. Abby opened her arms and enfolded Leia within them, holding her very grown baby to her. Connor lay down next to Leia and Eye Patch behind Abby. The two men reached across for each other and between them held their girls in their protective embrace.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Dinner was a quiet affair. They'd all stayed on the big bed for quite some time, just holding each other. When Leia let her sadness and tears get the better of her, Abby suggested it was time to eat. The food had been good, but in truth, they'd all been distracted by what had happened. While the Connors cleaned up after supper, Abby took Leia up to her room to wrap the presents they'd bought earlier. Abby watched her daughter and felt the heavy burden of having caused her child the sadness that was clearly evident on her face and in her entire demeanour.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Abby asked boldly as the two girls sat cross from each other on the floor with the gifts, wrapping paper and supplies between them. Leia shrugged her shoulders. Abby sighed and felt a shiver run through her. "I want to apologize for what happened tonight."

Leia looked up at Abby and tried to reign in her emotions. "It wasn't your fault," Leia replied in a small voice.

"In a way it is. As soon as I saw my mother I should have turned away and kept on walking with you and Antonia. I've been trying to keep you as far away from her as possible your whole life."

"Daddy told me."

"I know he did. He's good with words, your dad. Leia, you don't need to worry about me. I had a nasty shock seeing my mother and Frank, that's all. They've not been a part of my life for over twenty years. I don't want you to dwell on something that happened long before I even met your dads."

"It's hard though mum. I don't want anyone to hurt you!"

Abby moved over to her daughter and put her arm around her shoulders. "No one's hurting me. No one has for a very very long time. Since I met your dads my life's been so happy. We've got more important things to think about, like how we've wrapped all these presents but forgot to put tags on them. I don't know which are Daddy's and which are Papa's."

Abby stayed upstairs with Leia until it was time for her bed. The girl was self-sufficient and independent, but on this night she enjoyed her mother's company and the affection she was showering upon her. Abby brushed Leia's hair before tucking her into bed. Georgia, their ever faithful Alsasian and prehistoric-wolf hybrid, and daughter of Eye Patch's long departed Eva, made her way upstairs. Their dear pet was getting on in years, but she was still as sweet and full of life as when she'd been a puppy. Like she had since Leia had moved upstairs to the loft, the dog flopped her big self down at the foot of the bed and stretched out across it. It was no surprise Leia had learned to bark before she could speak. The pair were best friends and the dog was as protective of Leia as her mother had been of Eye Patch.

Abby kissed her daughter goodnight and pulled the covers up to her chin. The two girls shared a loving smile before Abby turned out the light and made her way downstairs. The evening had been draining and Abby was desperate for her bed. The flat was dark, Sid and Nancy were in their basket under the stairs and Rex was lounging by the fireplace. She made her way to the bathroom and stripped off her clothes. She'd have a shower in the morning. She hadn't the energy to bother tonight. She cleaned her teeth, scrubbed her face and took out the braid in her hair. Like she'd done with Leia, she brushed her hair in slow strokes. She'd been growing it since before Leia had been born. She cut it every year to keep it healthy, but she kept it long enough that it was halfway down her back.

Abby stared hard at herself in the mirror and then opened the drawer under the counter and took up the pair of scissors she found within. When she'd been fifteen Frank used to love to touch her long hair. Every time he did it, she felt like vomiting. She'd warned him countless times to back off and leave her be, but he never listened. The last straw had been when he'd grabbed her arse after touching her tresses. After that she'd run to the bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror holding a pair of scissors in her hand just as she did now. She hadn't understood then that cutting her hair off wouldn't make him want to touch her any less, as Abby had found out shortly there after.

Abby coiled her hair into a single rope and held it in her hands with the scissors poised to make the slice and take it away. Why did Frank have to point out her braid? Why did he have to remind her of that awful incident in the kitchen? Her hands shook as she brought the blades nearer, then suddenly they slipped from her grasp and dropped to the counter. Abby continued to shake and she covered her mouth with her hands so as not to cry out and bring attention to herself.

She couldn't let Frank have that power over her, not now, not after so many years. She wasn't a child anymore. She was a woman with a family of her own, a wonderful family that loved her unconditionally. She had a brilliant, beautiful daughter and two men who positively worshipped her. Her long hair was for _them_. Her husbands stroked, touched, and buried their faces in it. They even pulled it in jest or loveplay. She loved her hair and the effect it hand on her Connors. She felt beautiful and sexy with it long because that's how her husbands saw it. She'd not take that away from them over one stupid encounter with a vile, pathetic man who wasn't fit to walk the same street as her.

Abby held back her sobs, kept her tears at bay and put on the burgundy coloured satin slip nightgown she'd left hanging behind the bathroom door. She replaced the scissors in the drawer and checked herself once more in the mirror to make sure she looked composed and content. She'd not have her Connors thinking she was still dwelling on the incident. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve and she'd not spoil it for them or their daughter. She left the bathroom and padded to the bedroom and slipped silently inside, closing the door behind her.

Her elder Connor lay on his back on his side of the bed staring up at the ceiling. Her younger Connor was sat up, reading from one of his sci-fi novels in the dim light of the bedside lamp. The space in between them was empty and inviting. She crawled up on to the bed, under the covers and lay her head upon her pillow. She let out a big sigh and closed her eyes. She heard and felt her husbands shift their positions on the bed and Connor set his book down. Abby opened her eyes and found them both looking at her.

The silence was awkward and more than once Connor opened his mouth to speak, but his words never came forth. Eye Patch's eyes fell away and he rubbed his hand over his beard.

"One of you speak," Abby ordered, feeling her ire rise up. She didn't want to get angry at either of them.

"Conn and I talked," Eye Patch began.

"About?" Abby asked.

"About you, your mother and about Frank."

"No surprise," Abby sighed heavily.

"Abby," Connor finally said, touching her shoulder. "There's no secrets between us, right?" Abby said nothing, but felt an uncomfortable flutter in her belly. "We've talked about Frank before."

She was already exasperated, she didn't want to continue, but she knew there was no help for it. Bedside her Eye Patch was silent and morose. She could _feel_ his mood.

"Abby, we love you and you know you can tell us anything and we'll only love you all the more. But, you've always been evasive about the time Frank lived with your family."

Eye Patch reached up and wiped a tear away that escaped down the side of her face.

"Given how strongly you reacted today, we wondered between the two of us if there wasn't more to what Frank did to you than what you've told us. We're asking you, Abby, if Frank ever did more than just touch you inappropriately."

"Did he ever force himself on you?" Eye Patch asked finally, still not able to look into her eyes. The very idea was too much for him to handle let alone ask the question, but he and Connor had to know. They couldn't let her keep something so terrible to herself.

The silence seemed to stretch forever and when Abby began to cry in earnest, her Connors hearts sank. The men felt a myriad of emotions, too many for one to dominate.

"No," Abby finally said. The Connors looked to each other and felt immediate relief, but also confusion. Abby reach out and lay her hands on each of their faces. "He didn't, that's the truth. But he did try once. That's what I've kept from you. It was after school, mum was out with Jack. I was in my room doing my homework. He tried to make me have sex with him, but I fought him off and he gave up because I wouldn't relent. It got pretty violent, my bedroom was trashed. He moved on to the neighbour not too long after that. She was much younger than mum, but probably older than he wanted all things considered. I didn't spent much time at home after that, not until Frank was out of the house. That was the final straw between mum n' me. She blamed me for her marriage failing. I never told her about what'd he'd tried to do that day, she didn't believe me about everything else that happened before, so I knew it would be pointless."

"Thank you for telling us," Connor spoke.

"I wasn't keeping the secret. I just know how much it would have hurt you both and I didn't see the point in upsetting you."

"Sweetheart," Eye Patch spoke in a gruff, hushed tone, stroking her arm with the back of his hand. "It's true that it upsets us, of course it does, you're our wife. You never need to protect us from whatever it is that hurts you. I'd rather know, I'd rather share in it. Over fifteen years ago you took my hand in yours and for the first time in a long time I wanted to live to see another day. You still do that for me. Not a day's gone by since then that I've not taken each breath just to stay with you. Well, you and that daft git on your left."

"Hey!" Connor protested, but with a smile. Eye Patch reached across Abby and ruffled Connor's hair. Abby began to laugh, but it faded and she began to cry again. She was overwrought and tired of the mess that her mother and her awful stepfather had created. "Oh Abby, love," Connor soothed. "Tell us what you need."

She blinked away her tears and let out a shaky breath. She looked between both of them and saw the love and deep concern etched on their faces. They were waiting for her to make the next move. Abby knew what she needed most from her husbands. She needed them to comfort and love her, and help her put aside all the awful things that had transpired this evening. Slow, and with still shaking hands, she lowered the thin straps of her nightgown off her shoulders and down to expose her bare breasts. With sorrowful, pleading eyes, she looked upon their handsome, warm faces and bade them to come nearer.

Eye Patch leaned into her and buried his face at the side of her neck, covering her with hot, slow, open-mouthed kisses along the column of her throat. Her eyes fluttered closed and she suppressed the urge to keep crying and focused on the feel of her husband's lips upon her skin. Connor came to her then and began to kiss along her collarbone, his whiskers rasping against her flesh. She bit into her bottom lip and felt her entire body shiver as her lovely men took care of her. This was all she needed, their love and their fierce embrace. Abby laid her cheek against Eye Patch's head affectionately and a tiny smile appeared on her face.

In perfect synchronicity, the men moved lower down her body to her breasts, each enclosing one of her nipples in their mouths. With sweeps of their tongues and strong, deep suckling upon her breasts, Abby felt her arousal mounting quickly. The tug of their mouths sent little shocks through her core and she felt herself swell and moisten in want of them. Their hands came into play, caressing and massaging all over her body. Connor bunched the bottom of her nighty up around her waist and abandoned her breast, heading lower down her body.

Connor cast off their duvet and Eye Patch drew her thighs apart as Connor settled himself between them. Quivering with anticipation, Abby let out a sharp squeak when Connor's tongue delved between her labia and swept up the length of her and over her clitoris. Eye Patch went back to her neck and cupped the side of her face as he feasted upon her. Connor moaned appreciatively as he lapped at her sex with determination, seeking to bring her to an intense orgasm.

Abby's hips rolled and she drew her knees up, opening herself to him fully. Eye Patch's hand palmed her breast as he continued to kiss all over her upper body. Abby's head swam as her pleasure continued to mount until suddenly she let out a suppressed whimper and came.

In the past she'd been vocal enough to disturb the neighbours, but since Leia had been born, Abby had learned to keep quiet and take that energy and channel it into her orgasms, making them all the more powerful for it. Connor continued to coax more pleasure out of her until finally the moment faded and she went limp. Connor returned to his place at her side, while his counterpart settled himself between Abby's thighs. Taking his erection in hand, Eye Patch guided himself to her entrance and eased himself inside. Abby arched into him and let out a heated moan. Joining with either of her husbands was always overwhelming for the first few moments. Feeling herself being stretched to her limits and filled up just shy of it being painful sent her into a state of perfect bliss.

When she'd taken him to the hilt, she twinned her legs with his and surrendered to him completely. She lazily loped her arms around his neck and a ghost of a smile appeared on her lips as she kept her eyes closed. Her older Connor lay his chest to her, his weight pressing her down into the mattress. Connor covered them all with the duvet again and their warmth spread through each as Abby relished in the sensations of having one of her husbands inside her. Eye Patch sought and captured her lips for a kiss and Abby reciprocated. When he finally began his slow, languid thrusting, he caught her cries of pleasure in his mouth. She focused on the exquisite feeling of his thick cock entering her over and over and the intense heat and thrilling pleasures he wrought from her as he did.

Completely passive beneath him Abby let his tender lovemaking and beside her, Connor's caresses and kisses on her arms and neck, carry her to another orgasm that had her screaming silently in pure nirvana. She felt the splash of his release inside her and keened once more. Abby opened her eyes. She took his face in her hands, her thumb stroking his scarred eye and smiled for him, letting him know how much he'd pleased her. He withdrew slowly and lay down at her side, while Connor came over her and pushed inside her slick channel.

Her jaw fell slack as her already heightened senses flared a new. Connor thrust with tight, sure strokes, barely withdrawing and surging strong. Meanwhile Eye Patch's mouth returned to her breasts, suckling, nipping and laving his tongue over them. Abby gripped Connor's biceps and undulated with him. When he suddenly gave a particularly deep, hard thrust Abby cried out loudly. Fortunately Eye Patch anticipated his partner and had covered her mouth with his and swallowed her scream. Connor repeated the action, pushing her up the bed and seeming intent on challenging her. He knew that more often than not she liked to be taken in this fashion. She'd been tenderly cared for by Eye Patch and now she needed the balance by being taken roughly.

She watched as her two Connors shared a look between them. Over the years the twin-like connection they shared had deepened to one that was virtually telepathic. A look, a nod of the head and they could conduct an entire conversation without saying a single word. Eye Patch's hand covered her mouth and he kissed her forehead. Her other Connor took hold of her hips and held her down and immobile. His thrusts soon became brusque and quick, determined to drive her to a hard climax. Abby breathed heavy through her nose as Eye Patch whispered in her ear how gorgeous she looked when Connor was fucking her. When they'd started, she'd needed them to be sweet and tender, but not more. She needed this from them and the ecstatic release she knew it would bring.

Her breasts bounced with each thrust into her and her whimpers were stifled by Eye Patch's hand covering her mouth. When Connor altered the angle of his thrusts and stroked hard against her clit over and over, she felt herself spiraling. She writhed and thrashed, but her lovers held her down and did not give her a moment of reprieve. Connor bucked his pelvis, pushed hard against her until Abby arched and came again. Connor stilled and reveled in the sensation of her core pulsing around him until he too was brought to completion and spilled himself deep inside his wife.

When he came down from his high, he released her and collapsed at her side. Eye Patch's hand came away from her mouth and settled on her stomach while Connor lay his head to her chest. She was glassy eyed, panting for breath and utterly overcome by her wonderful orgasms. She whispered a quiet _thank you_ to them. She fell into a blissful sleep between her husbands, wrapped up in their arms and thought only of them and their love.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When Abby woke the next morning, she felt completely restored. She was still buried under her husbands, who'd thrown their limbs across her in order to hold on to each other as they slept. She found herself in no hurry to move. She was warm, content and whole. Everything felt right in her world. Furthermore, it was Christmas Eve. There was already magic in the air. Since she'd had her Connors come into her life, each Christmas had been special and full of love. She smiled to herself and remembered them. There'd been the one where she'd been in the last month of her pregnancy and so large she could barely move. She'd not had to lift a finger the entire holiday and had been pampered and loved. The following Christmas had been all about spoiling the baby and showing her all the wonders of the season. As had every following one.

In fact Christmas really was Leia's holiday. With her birthday a few short weeks later, they could indulge her at Christmas and stretch it out until her birthday. However, for Leia it had ceased to be about gifts and more about celebrating the four of them being together. This year she'd only suggested a few books and movies she'd like to receive when asked what she'd like. Abby was proud of the daughter they'd raised. She possessed many wonderful qualities and in her own way was the reflection of all three of her parents. Top of the list of excellent qualities their daughter possessed was Connor's prowess in the kitchen. The heavenly scent of what Abby believed were blueberry muffins came wafting under the door, followed shortly there after by bacon.

Abby found herself practically salivating. How her lovers were sleeping through that was beyond her. Abby smiled and laughed to herself. Before Leia was born, they'd almost lost Eye Patch to a necrotized lung and since then had kept him on healthy diet in which they too shared. However, once a year, over the Christmas holiday they allowed him to indulge and that included first and foremost, bacon. She pushed them both off her and they groaned as they came to.

Abby slipped her nightgown back on and scrambled off the bed. She snatched up her robe and put it on then turned to her loves as they sat up and rubbed the sleep from their eyes. Abby came back to the bed and kissed them each good morning, even as they grumbled and yawned and leaned against each other. She opened the bedroom door and the scent of food assailed them. She closed the door behind her and made her way to the bathroom.

!*!*!

"Oh god that smells divine!" exclaimed the elder Connor as he searched for a pair of boxers to put on. The younger man caught his arm and pulled him near for a good morning kiss.

"You're like a dog. I wouldn't be surprised if you've got a hard-on," Connor laughed, pulling on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. Eye Patch glared at him, but then smiled, swatting Connor's bottom. In turn Connor tossed his husband his robe before the pair of them made their way to the bathroom after Abby.

Abby emerged as they reached the door and she kissed them both again. The boys shared a smile, confident their wife's mood had greatly improved and she'd put the incident with Frank and her mother behind her.

As Abby approached her daughter, she felt a wonderful levity. The love she felt in that moment was incomparable. She met Leia as the girl brought the tea pot to the breakfast table. "You didn't have to go to all this trouble," Abby spoke, taking the pot from her and kissing her cheek.

"I know, I wanted to," smiled Leia, still dressed in her pyjamas, her long dark hair drawn back in a ponytail.

"It smells wonderful. I swear the best thing your father and Gran ever taught you was how to cook. Want me to finish up? You can take Georgie for her walk with Papa."

"Already done!"

"What do you mean, already done?" Eye Patch asked as he and Connor joined their girls in the kitchen. "I thought I told you not to go out by yourself!"

Leia, startled by her father's outburst, deflated and began to gnaw on her bottom lip just like Abby did when she was upset. Eye Patch sighed and put his arms around his daughter and hugged her. "Sorry, Kitten, didn't mean to shout."

"It's okay, Papa," replied Leia, hugging him back. "I didn't go far, just up the block to the park and back. I didn't even go in, just far enough for Georgie to do her business."

"Okay, okay. Just don't do it again. You know how much I worry." He kissed the top of her head and let her go to Connor for his hug.

"Our girl can take good care of herself, she's got her purple belt already," said Connor with pride. They'd enrolled their daughter in Kung-Fu and Jujitsu when she was eight. She also went to kick boxing with her mum twice a week. Her fathers simply loved the fact that their daughter had self-defense moves that were cooler than anything they'd ever seen in a video game. "Now, let's get your Papa his bacon butty before he pitches a fit, yeah?"

"Oy!" exclaimed Eye Patch.

The family ate breakfast together before each took their showers and got on with their tasks of the day. Abby tidied the flat and bathed the animals, much to their chagrin. Connor and Leia made the final food preparations for the party that evening while Eye Patch brought their Christmas tree decorations up from storage before making a final run to the off-license to purchase a few more bottles of wine and liquor for the party. By late afternoon everything was ready. The food and drink was laid out in an impressive spread upon the table and counters, more than enough to feed all their guests five times over.

"Papa! Hurry up! Georgie's eyes are turning yellow!" Leia called from near the front door to the flat where she stood with Georgia on her leash, waiting for their early evening walk. "It's dark out, no one will see if you've not got your patch on!"

"Just hold your horses, I know it's around here somewhere!" her Papa called back as he searched the flat for his leather eye patch. "I think it's in the bedroom!"

Leia let out an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. She didn't see what the big deal was. She understood he didn't like strangers looking at his scar, but to her he was perfectly handsome and the scar actually made him look way cooler than the patch did. After a few more minutes, Leia gave up and opened the door, walking out into the night. Papa would catch up eventually, and she'd stop before they got to the park. The night was freezing cold and it would probably snow over night. That made her smile. She could only remember two Christmases in which there'd been snow. The last one had been two years ago, and she'd built a snowman with her dads.

Leia paused, shivered and waited while Georgia sniffed a tree. She had on her winter coat, but it was still cold. She looked back in the direction of the flat, not realizing how far she'd actually walked. She was nearly at the park. She'd not go in without her Papa with her. She was growing a little worried. The streets were deserted save for her and Georgia.

"It's Amelia, isn't it?" a male voice asked. Leia gasped and turned back to see the man towering over her just a few feet away. She recognized him, even in the darkened street. It was Frank. It was the man that had upset her mother and done awful things to her when she'd been a girl. Leia took a step backwards towards the dog. Georgia sat down next to Leia and wagged her tail, looking up at the man with her usual, curious and doleful face. Leia looked back over her shoulder for her father, but he wasn't there yet. She gulped and stood frozen to the spot, trying to control her emotions and not give away how afraid she was. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

Leia shook her head and tightened her grip on the leash. "What... what are you doing here?" Leia asked, cursing herself for the tremble in her voice. She _was_ scared, but she was also angry. He'd upset her mother and made her cry.

"Well, I wanted to talk to you. See, your grandmother really misses you. She hasn't seen you in so long and running into you and your mother yesterday reminded her of how much she loved you and wanted to spend some time with you. So I thought I'd come and see if you wanted to go with me to her house so she can give you your Christmas presents. Wouldn't you like that Amelia? That's such a pretty name. It reminds me of your mother's, Abigail. You look so much like her, so delicate and pretty. What do you say? Would you like to see your grandmother?"

"Do I look like an idiot?" Leia spat out. If there was one thing she hated, it was people treating her like she wasn't the smart and perceptive girl that she was. Now she was more angry than scared.

"No, dear, of course not."

"Then why would you think I'd fall for your crap?"

Frank's faux smile faded now that he realized that Abby's daughter was just as difficult and defiant as her mother had been.

"Like hell my grandmother wants to see me!" Leia continued. "I know all about how you n' she treated my mum! You're nothing but a sicko and when I tell my dads about you..." Leia's eyes went wide when she saw the predatory look that came over Frank's face. As he reached for her, her instincts kicked in and at the same time her leg kicked out, landing a perfect front kick right between Frank's legs. He cried out and staggered back against a lamp post cupping his injured testicles and groaning. "That's for my mum!" Leia growled, letting go of the dog's leash and closing her hands into fists. She dropped into a fighting stance. Georgia observed the goings on with curiosity, but remained in her spot next to Leia.

"You'll pay for that you little..." Frank seethed. Leia rolled her shoulders forwards and prepared to defend herself. However, it wasn't necessary. When Frank lunged for her, Georgia also made her move. With a snarl that echoed through the forest, the half prehistoric-wolf sunk her two inch fangs into Frank's forearm. The man's cry of agony made Leia's stomach drop and startled her even more than Georgia's defensive attack upon him had. It was all over in mere seconds. Georgia let him go and sat back down next to her girl as if nothing had happened and resumed wagging her tail even as blood dripped from her fangs.

Frank lay stunned and in pain on the cold concrete, clutching his wounded arm as blood seeped into his wool coat. When the dark shadow came over him, Frank knew he was done for. He looked up at the dark man with the leather patch over his left eye and trembled. The look in the man's single eye was nothing short of pure animal. Frank had never seen anything more threatening in all his life. The wolf-dog paled in comparison. Natalie had told him about Abby's two men, but he'd never imagined either one being this menacing. He'd come upon them without having made a single sound.

!*!*!

Eye Patch moved past his daughter and the dog and loomed over Frank. He looked the man up and down and remained stone faced as he tried desperately to control himself. His muscles were coiled tightly and he felt the blood rushing through his veins. He breathed in and out several times until he'd calmed enough to manage the situation without violence. Leia had knowledge of what Future Predators were, but they'd sheltered her from their true horror. He had killed them with little more than a hunting knife. He'd been the superior animal. This piece of shit on the ground couldn't hold a candle to anything he had encountered in his past, and yet he'd never felt the instinct to kill more strongly in all his life.

He took a step forward and Frank scrambled back, cornering himself against a parked car. Eye Patch crouched down in front of him and leaned in close to speak so Leia couldn't hear his words.

"If I catch so much as a whiff of you anywhere near my wife or my daughter I will end you," Eye Patch promised as he stared at Frank's horror filled face. "Not only that, I will make you beg me to put you out of your misery from what I'll be doing you. I've killed better men than you for less." Eye Patch stood up and took a step back, giving Frank room enough to get to his feet and make his escape. He watched until the pathetic excuse for a man was out of sight before turning back to his daughter. "I told you never to go out on your own!" Obviously he'd not had quite the control on himself he thought he had because as soon as the words left his mouth, Leia burst into tears. She covered her face with her hands and wept. He moved swiftly and pulled her against him, wrapping her up in his strong arms and holding her as tightly as possible. Her sobs were muffled against his leather coat. Georgia inched closer and leaned against Eye Patch, making soft rumbles at him.

He had come out of the flat just in time to see Frank emerge from the darkness and confront Leia. He'd seen her bravery and was proud of both her and Georgia in how they'd defended themselves. He'd fallen back on old ways that he'd learned back in the world he'd originated from and stalked silently towards them undetected. Had Georgia not protected Leia, he was sure he'd have done something violent to the man that dared to come near his only child. Georgia had saved him the trouble. He couldn't help but think Eva would've been proud of her pup.

As Leia's crying ebbed Eye Patch kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back.

"Did he touch you?" he asked hoarsely. She shook her head and squeezed her arms around her father's waist. "Tell me everything." Through her sniffles and tears Leia told him all that Frank had said. Eye Patch was relieved and proud of his girl for not buying into Frank's lies. He was infinitely grateful that Connor had the conversation about Natalie and Frank with her and she understood the danger she'd been in. Were it not Christmas Eve he'd be marching her down to the police station, but as it was Anton would be at the party and he'd take him aside to see what could be done. If Frank had half a brain in his head, he'd not try to have anything done to Georgia because of her attack on him. He was pretty sure Leia's tears would convince anyone that the dog had only been protecting her.

Eye Patch held his daughter and tried to calm himself. He needed a good stiff drink.

"Papa, you're crushing me!" Leia gasped.

"Deal with it." He held her for a few more minutes and she let him.

"Papa? Please, please don't tell mum."

Eye Patch sighed heavily and let her go, taking her by the shoulders and looking her in the eye. "Kitten, you know I have to..."

"No, Papa, please! Please don't make mum cry again, please!" He stared into her tear filled blue eyes and saw Abby in them. He couldn't deny either of them anything.

"It can wait until after Christmas, but we both better pray nothing comes of this before then. I _will_ be telling your Dad. Deal?" Leia nodded her head vigorously and Eye Patch leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I want you to promise me something, and if you do, you better bloody stick to it. Don't _ever_ go out on your own again, no matter what."

"I promise, Papa. I do."

"Okay, good girl. And I promise next time I'll forget the bloody patch if I can't find it." They hugged once more before Eye Patch took his daughter by the hand and led her into the park. "We'll not go far, just until we've both calmed down enough to convince your mother nothing happened."

"Just kiss her, that's usually gets her to forget anything bad you n' Daddy have done. At least for a few minutes."

"Mind the cheek, or I'm giving all your Christmas presents to Rex."

!*!*!

When they returned to the flat, Leia immediately bolted upstairs to her room to avoid having to make eye contact with her mother. Abby could always tell when any of them was keeping something from her. Eye Patch spotted Connor heading towards the bedroom. Eye Patch sighed heavily as he hung up his coat. Georgia lay herself in front of the fireplace with the diictodons and Rex. He supposed he should feed them before their guests arrived. When Abby suddenly came up behind him and lay her hands on his shoulders, he jumped. She was the _only_ one in the entire world that could sneak up on him.

"Sorry!" she apologized quickly. She hadn't meant to startle him. He turned around to behold her and smiled wearily. Without a word, he pulled her near and closed his lips over hers. His tongue coaxed her lips apart and she surrendered to his kiss. He held her in his embrace until he felt her go limp and then slowly drew apart from her, resting his forehead against hers.

"Wow, what was that for?" Abby asked.

"No reason. Does there need to be?" he whispered in reply.

"No, of course not. Are you okay?" He nodded and stroked his fingers through her hair. She was dressed only her in robe, obviously just about to change for the party.

"I'm good. Happy here with you."

She touched his face. He always did get a bit maudlin this time of year. "I've laid your suit out, and before you say anything, yes you have to wear it. You look incredible dressed up and I so rarely get to see it, I'm insisting!"

"Anything for you, love."

"Smile a little, it's Christmas, don't be so glum." He straightened and flashed her a smile so full she could see his dimple even under his beard. "That's better. Go get dressed, I'm going to do my hair. Leia upstairs?" He nodded and leaned in to kiss her neck. "Tell you what, tonight after Leia's gone to sleep tonight, when it's just the three of us in bed, I'll give you something special for Christmas."

"Mmmm" He settled his hands on her hips and this time his smile was genuine. She gave him another kiss and sent him on his way. Once she was ensconced in the bathroom, he went to the bedroom to talk with Connor.

!*!*!

An hour later most of their guests had arrived. The Connors' eyes followed Abby everywhere she went. She was dressed head to toe in shimmering gold. Her strapless, body-hugging dress adourned with sparkling beads showed off her exquisite curves. The matching three inch heels on her feet made her legs look longer and the hem of her dress shorter. Her hair cascaded down her back in one perfect curl from her high ponytail. Her blue eyes were accentuated by a swath of gold on her eyelids and a warm pink gloss made her lips look completely succulent. She laughed and mingled among their friends and often looked towards her husbands to flash them a coy smile. She was an absolute goddess.

"Papa, Daddy, you're drooling," Leia informed them as she sauntered up to them. They scowled at their daughter in perfect unison, but their look softened as they beheld her. She looked very pretty her outfit. Taking a page from her mother's book of years ago, she was dressed in her black combat boots, red leggings, a black skirt and a fuzzy red jumper with red sequined spirals all over it. Her hair was up in a stylish coif, courtesy of Abby. The only thing they objected to was the fact that she wore make-up, but Abby allowed it so they acquiesced. "Mum's so beautiful, isn't she?"

"Gorgeous," her fathers said simultaneously. Leia giggled at her fathers as their eyes settled back upon her mother. She loved to give them a hard time, but she was secretly very happy that her parents always seemed so besotted with each other. She was also very happy their bedroom door was solid wood and muffled ninety-nine percent of what she knew went on in there. She was cognizant enough to know it happened, but also extremely content not to know anything about it. There was a solid knock at their front door and Leia dashed off to answer it.

Eye Patch and Connor shared a look of regret at hearing Leia greet her "Auntie" Anton and Becker. It wasn't because they weren't happy to have them at their door, but because Eye Patch needed to have a very serious conversation with Anton. By the time Eye Patch at finished telling Connor what had happened with Leia and Frank, the younger man had been shaking with rage. Eye Patch had calmed him, but Connor was still all for sneaking out after the party to dole out some fatherly justice upon the scumbag. Eye Patch gave Connor's hand a squeeze and departed from him to seek out Anton, eager to get the dark matter out of the way so they could enjoy the rest of their evening.

Leia came up the stairs with her arms laden with presents with Anton and Becker following up behind her. Eye Patch greeted Becker with a handshake before moving towards Anton. Connor watched from a distance as his husband and their friend engaged in a quiet but obviously involved conversation. When his husband smiled and patted Anton on the back Connor let out a sigh of relief. Anton went to greet Abby and Eye Patch returned to Connor.

"Well?" Connor asked.

"It's all good. Remind me to get that man a really fantastic birthday present," Eye Patch explained.

"What do you mean? He's going to so something about Frank?"

"It's already done, love. I'll tell you later. Right now I want a whiskey and to snog you under the mistletoe."

"You're sure? He's out of the picture?"

"Promise, Conn."

Connor nodded in acceptance, eager to put the worst of the past two days behind them. "I'll get you a drink, you find us some mistletoe."

!*!*!

Abby moved past her guests towards the window in the living room and opened it a crack. She needed a moment to herself to relax. She looked out over her full flat and smiled to herself. They had so many wonderful friends - Danny, Sarah, Becker, Anton, Jess and even Lester were all in attendance. There were other friends from the ARC, a few soldiers who were friends with 'Drake' as well as friends they'd made over the years from her job at the zoo, her elder Connor's connections to the newspaper, and even some of the parents from Leia's school. She laughed to herself when she saw her Connors madly kissing each other under the mistletoe. And in the middle of all the adults was her daughter, engaging them in conversation, getting them drinks and food and generally being the star of the party. Abby couldn't help but lament the events of the past two days and wonder what could have been had her mother not been, for the lack of a better word, broken. She'd asked her mother once, when Abby had been seventeen, what was it that made her so miserable and lost. Natalie's hateful reply had been a spiteful _you_ to her daughter.

Abby felt a pang of sadness, but set it aside. She couldn't live in the past. She had her own family and they were perfect and full of love. She caught her daughter's eye and Leia came bounding towards her mother.

"Having fun?" Abby asked, tucking a strand of hair that had come lose behind her daughter's ear.

"I am. Are we going to decorate the tree soon?" Leia replied.

"Soon. Leia..." Abby paused and gathered her thoughts.

"Mum? Is something wrong?"

"No, sweetie. Not at all. I wanted to tell you something." Abby reached out and cupped either side of her daughter's face and stepped closer. They gazed at each other with matching blue eyes and smiled. "I wanted to tell you, Miss Amelia Anne, that _you_ are the best thing that ever happened to me and I love you more than anything in the whole wide world."

Leia bit into her bottom lip to stop it from trembling. Abby laughed and felt tears brim in her eyes and a moment later, Leia threw her arms around her mother and hugged her with all her might. "I love you too, Mummy!" The pair held each other and reveled in the purity of the love they shared. Since the moment Abby had first felt her daughter move within her, she'd known the most perfect peace. As the years passed, that peace had made a permanent home inside her and would never fade. Leia more than made up for the strife and rejection Abby had grown up with. She supposed in a perverse way, it had been fate. Had she not gone through what she had, she'd not have met Connor. There'd have been no second Connor, no marriage and no baby. Leia gave her strength, purpose and more love than she could even have imagined in those lonely, frightened nights in her childhood home.

"Mum?" Leia asked as she looked up at Abby's loving face.

"Yes?"

"Now will you tell me what you got Papa and Daddy for Christmas? Daddy's been searching the flat all week but he's not come up with it and Papa's scared you got him a dreadful Christmas jumper with reindeer on it."

Abby laughed and snuggled Leia. "Ok, I'll tell you, but you absolutely must keep it a secret."

"I will! I will! Please tell me!"

Abby whispered into her daughter's ear and the girl let out such a squeal of excitement that most everyone in the room turned to look in their direction. Eye Patch and Connor eyed the pair curiously as Leia jumped up and down on the spot and threw her arms around Abby. The two girls laughed and hugged each other, prompting the two men to traverse the flat towards them.

"Is this a private party or can we join in?" asked Connor, handing Abby a glass of white wine. She took a tiny sip but quickly set it down on the window sill.

"Yeah, what are you two so excited about?" Eye Patch asked.

Abby and Leia looked at each other and burst into giggles, "It's a secret!" they spoke together, wrapping their arms around each other's waists.

"Sounds dangerous," Connor observed.

"Count on it," beamed Abby. Realizing they weren't going to be privy to whatever their girls had cooked up, the Connors did the only thing they could at a time like this. They gathered their loves into the circle of their arms and hugged them. Abby held Leia and leaned back against Connor, while Eye Patch leaned in to kiss her with Leia between them. Abby closed her eyes and smiled contentedly. This was going to be their best Christmas yet.

!*!*!

Natalie Maitland stood alone on the darkened street and looked up into the window of her daughter's flat. She'd been rooted to the same spot for nearly a half hour, just observing the goings on at the party. She'd almost been prompted to go to their front door when she'd seen Abby come lean against the window. She was certain her daughter had something to do with Frank's arrest a short while ago. Two officers had come to her house explaining that they had a warrant for Frank's arrest. She'd been in the middle of tending to the dog bite in his arm and trying to convince him he should go to hospital. He'd told her that a stray had attacked him as he'd walked from where he'd parked his car up to their flat.

As the police hauled him away with his arm only half bandaged she'd been told that two of the teenage girls that interned at Frank's office had come forward confess that Frank had blackmailed them into having sex with him and another had accused him of outright assault. More charges were likely pending from other incidents in his past on which the statute of limitations had not run out. Natalie had been more or less speechless as she absorbed all the information. When the police were gone and Frank with them she'd sat alone in her kitchen, utterly numb.

She wasn't sure just what had prompted her to go to her daughter's home, but as she observed Abby with her own daughter and how deeply the two obviously loved each other and how close they were, Natalie had an epiphany. Abby had become quite an accomplished and formidable woman. She had _two_ husbands who obviously adored her, even after fifteen years together. She and her daughter were extremely close. Abigail had a happy home and a happy life, and all in spite of how she'd been raised.

Natalie remembered the timid little toddler with white blond hair that cried when her father left them, and slept in the closet because her mother never held her and told her monsters weren't real. She remembered the little girl that looked after her brother when she was eight years old and Natalie went out on dates. Abigail never complained when she was hungry, but made sure Jack was fed. Natalie remembered the girl who always did her homework on Friday nights and bravely told her that Frank was touching her where he shouldn't. Natalie had been too selfish too realize then, but she accepted it now, Abby hadn't been lying. Lastly, she remembered Abby's tear filled eyes, holding her pregnant belly at the police station thirteen years ago, telling her that she no longer had a mother and Natalie would never know her granddaughter.

Natalie nearly went to the flat door when it started to snow, but instead, turned and walked back to where she'd parked her car. Anything she could say to her daughter now would be too little and too late. She had burned every bridge she could have built with Abby. Natalie decided then that the best thing she could do for her daughter now would be to leave her in peace.

!*!*!

"Look! It's snowing!" Leia gasped. The three parents looked up and smiled, each wrapping and arm around their child, cocooning her with their endless love and devotion.

"So Miss Leia?" Connor asked of his daughter. "Are you going to make a wish?"

"Daddy, you don't wish on snowflakes."

"I say you do."

Eye Patch chuckled and affectionately pet his husband's head, earning him a smile from both Connor and Abby.

"I don't need to wish for anything," Leia said after a pensive moment. "I've already got it." She turned into Abby and hugged her mum and watched the snow fall. Abby tilted her head to first kiss Connor, then to Eye Patch to kiss him too. Leia was right, all their wishes had already come true and come tomorrow, she'd be granting one more to her wonderful, loving, gentle men.

The End... epilogue to follow


	5. Chapter 5

Epilogue

For the second morning in a row, Abby awoke under the dead weight of her husbands' limbs. Christmas Eve had been an exhausting affair - an extremely fun one, but tiring nonetheless. After the last guest had left they'd gone to the formidable task of cleaning up. Afterwards the family had cuddled on the sofa and beheld their fully decorated and luminous Christmas tree. They remained together until Leia had fallen asleep. Connor had carried her upstairs to put her to bed. Just like they'd done so often when she'd been a baby, they'd stood together and watched her sleep until leaving her in peace and going to their own bed.

Sleep, however had not been first and foremost on their agenda. Abby'd made good on to her promise to Eye Patch and gave first him, then Connor _something special _for Christmas. Afterwards they'd laid together and talked, mostly about how wonderful their daughter was and how lucky they were to all have each other. At length, sleep beckoned and they curled up together as the snow continued to fall outside.

Abby smiled at the morning that shone through her window then turned to her left and softly kissed Connor's parted lips. Even in sleep he knew to reciprocate. She then kissed the tip of his nose, and his cheek. When she saw the smile appear on his face she returned to his lips.

"Wakey, wakey, Conn," she sing-songed. "It's Christmas!"

He didn't open his eyes yet but continued to smile at her. "I'm awake. Is he?"

"Not yet."

"Best give him the same as me then."

Abby kissed him once more and rolled over to her other Connor who lay on his stomach, limbs splayed akimbo. Abby kissed one of the more prominent scars on his shoulder and he mumbled unintelligibly. She then moved to his neck, then to behind his ear. "Connor? Time to wake up," she cooed in his ear.

"Urrmph," was his grumbled reply. She kissed the corner of his mouth and finally he came to, opening his good eye and looking up at her. "S'morning?"

"Christmas morning, yes," Abby answered.

"Leia up?"

"No, I don't think so."

He yawned and stretched, rolled over and sat himself up. He looked positively adorable, all sleepy and disheveled. He leaned over her to kiss Connor good morning. "We should make her breakfast this time, chocolate chip pancakes."

"I'll start 'em," Connor volunteered, moving to get up.

"No, no, s'fine. You n' Abbs take first shower, I'll do it. Have to take Georgie out too."

Both his spouses kissed him before finding something to wear on the trip across the hall while Eye Patch pulled on Connor's discarded sweatpants. He scratched his belly and yawned again before rising from the bed and making his way across the flat. Georgia was already waiting by the front door for him and he pulled on Connor's winter coat and his own combat boots.

"Out n' in, and that's it," Eye Patch explained, not bothering with her leash. He opened the door and was assaulted by a blast of snow. He stepped outside and nearly sunk into the huge embankment that had piled up against the door. "Bloody hell..." Georgia went bounding past him, excitedly jumping through the snow drifts. It was still snowing and there must've been at least two feet on the ground. After a few minutes he whistled for Georgia, who popped her head up from under the snow and came running. She shook herself off and Eye Patch protested as he was sprayed with the wet powder. He sighed and went back inside. The Mini would never make it off their block. If he could manage to get an ARC vehicle they stood a chance of making it to Blackburn to spend Christmas with Connor's mum. The last thing he wanted was to disappoint Leia and tell her they couldn't get to her Grandmother's for Christmas.

He went to the kitchen and got down the ingredients for their pancakes as well as the food for their animals. When Connor had finished with his shower and dressed, he took over so Eye Patch could get his shower in. It was left to Abby to get Leia out of bed. She walked up the stairs to the loft and found that sometime in the night Leia must've wakened and and changed into her pyjamas. Abby lay down next to her girl and gave her a little nudge.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," Abby said. Leia's eyes opened immediately and she smiled at her mum.

"Did you give Papa and Daddy their present?" she asked immediately.

Abby laughed lightly and shook her head. "No, not yet, not without you there too. It's our secret after all."

"I can't wait! They're going to flip!"

"Then we best get our day started then, eh? Your dads are making us chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast!"

Leia squeaked and was out of bed and running down the stairs instantly. Abby lay back on Leia's bed and laughed to herself. Sometimes that girl was _just _like her fathers.

"Abby! Breakfast!" came Connor's bellow from below. Abby smiled and rose from the bed, feeling completely content and elated. She had every confidence this would be their most memorable Christmas yet.

When breakfast was devoured and the plates stacked in the sink for later. Leia kept casting further glances in the direction of the Christmas tree, but more specifically all the presents piled underneath. She wasn't yet old enough that she didn't still get excited. Abby was looking forward to one gift in particular for Leia that her fathers had chosen for her.

And hour later they were down to their the last gift under the tree. It was a tiny box with Leia's name written in Eye Patch's handwriting to his "Kitten" and in Connor's to his "Princess". With her new fedora atop her head from her Auntie Anton and Uncle Becker she held it in her hands and stared at it.

"Go on," said Abby, giving her daughter a nudge. Leia looked between her three parents, and unlike the rest of her gifts, took her time unwrapping the one from her fathers. She took away all the paper away and found herself with a jewelry box in her hand. Tentatively she opened it and made a small, shocked sound at what she found inside. She stared at the pendant, wide-eyed and speechless.

"Do you like it?" Eye Patch asked. Leia could only nod her head enthusiastically. Connor came forward and pulled the shimmering rainbow teardrop shaped opal and it's long silver chain from the box. Eye Patch lifted up her hat, and Connor slipped the chain over her head. With her hat back in its place, the necklace hung from her neck and glittered and shone under Christmas lights. All her life, Leia had admired the identical one her mother owned that had been a gift from her husbands on her birthday. Abby had let Leia borrow hers from time to time, but the Connors saw how her little face fell every time she had to give it back. It was time for her to have her own.

"Thank you," Leia finally said, in a tiny voice. The Connors smiled at each other, pleased that their daughter loved her gift from them.

"That's it then?" asked Eye Patch. "We should think about hitting the road. I'll ring up the ARC and see if they can get a vehicle out to us."

"Wait!" said Leia. "Mummy hasn't given you her gift yet!"

The Connors turned to Abby, who was reclined on the floor next to Leia across from her husbands.

"That's right!" said Connor. "There's nothing left under the tree though. Have you got it hidden somewhere?"

"Mmm, in a manner of speaking, yes," replied Abby with an amused tone, sharing a secret smile with Leia. "You could search every inch of the flat and never find it."

"No teasing on Christmas, Abbs," scolded Eye Patch, reaching out and giving her leg a squeeze.

"Want it now then do you?"

"Yes!" her husbands replied in unison. The looks of giddy anticipation on their near identical faces was almost too much for Abby to handle. They were as adorable and charming as little boys sometimes. Abby looked to Leia, who nodded her head and just about bounced on the spot.

Abby shifted position to rest back on her elbows. She looked back and forth between her Connors and her smile deepened. She cast her eyes downwards and spoke. "I'm pregnant." Silence. Abby looked up at her husbands. Their mouths were agape and there were tears brimming in their eyes, but they couldn't speak. When a single tear escaped from the corner of Eye Patch's blind eye, Abby sat up and reached for him, pulling him into her arms. She looked over his shoulder at Connor, who let out sob and smiled broadly at her. She let go of her older Connor and kissed his mouth. She cupped the side of each of their faces. "Good present, huh?"

Both men were still too overcome to articulate their feelings, but Eye Patch reached out and lay his hand over her abdomen.

"How far along?" Connor finally asked, placing his hand over top of Eye Patch's.

"About nine weeks."

"Nine weeks? How long have you known? How the bloody hell didn't we notice?"

"Oh, about six or so. I've not had much morning sickness at all, not like I had with Leia. I wanted to tell you the moment I suspected, but then I thought about Christmas coming and I knew there was nothing better I could give you today. I know we never planned this... but forty-one's not _too_ old is it? And you know, sometimes birth control just doesn't work and..."

"It's a miracle is what it is!" Eye Patch laughed, finally finding his voice. "Abby... I never thought... I don't know what to say."

"You're happy though?"

"Are you bloody kidding me, woman? Happy doesn't even begin to cover it!" With that, he grabbed the back of her head and kissed her breathless. When he drew away from her, she turned to Connor for an equally as passionate a kiss. Abby closed her eyes as once again, both of her husbands embraced her and held her tight, both whispering their _I love you_s in her ears.

Leia gnawed on her bottom lip and felt happy tears come to her eyes. She was sure she'd never seen her parents so happy or more in love. Back and forth the three kissed and hugged each other, with her fathers' hands constantly rubbing at her mum's still flat belly. Her mother had told her once some time ago about how doting and devoted her Papa and Daddy had been when she'd been inside her mother, more to the point, how they'd not left her alone for a moment. Her mum explained that her fathers were virtually obsessed with her pregnant belly, talking to Leia constantly and how Leia had reciprocated and had been attracted to their touch or voice. Leia had bonded with her fathers before she'd even left the womb. Leia had the sneaking suspicion it would be the same with her new sibling.

When a knock came to their door, all four ceased their revelry and eyed each other curiously. Leia was the first to her feet. "I'll get it!" she offered, already dashing off to answer it.

Leia reached the front door and opened it. What met her on the other side made her gasp. The last thing she ever expected was to see the person before her. "Grandmum!" Leia exclaimed before coming to her senses and throwing her arms around her grandmother. The elderly woman reciprocated and held her granddaughter close.

"Mum!" Connor exclaimed he came rushing down the stairs, throwing his arms around his mother and daughter. "What on earth are you doing here? We're meant to be coming to you!"

"I know, dear," Carol explained. "But did you not read the weather report? You'd never have made it home. I took the last train down last night and stayed in a hotel, then found a very brave cabby to take me the rest of the way."

"Mum, you should have called!"

"Don't fuss Connor, it wasn't any trouble. Now, are you going to invite me in or am I to spend Christmas outside in all this snow?"

Connor gave his head a shake and stepped aside to allow his mum to enter. Behind her he saw she'd brought several suitcases, no doubt filled with gifts, and immediately went to bring them inside. At the top of the stairs Georgia was bouncing and making exicited rumbles that weren't quite barks, excited to greet someone new. Meanwhile, Abby and Eye Patch came walking down the stairs hand in hand. To their minds, their Christmas had just become even more special. They both loved Connor's mother as if she were their own and over the years, those feelings had been reciprocated. Their family Christmas was now perfect.

Once Carol's bags were inside and the door closed behind her to keep out the winter's cold, Abby wrapped the older woman up in a warm hug. "I'm so glad you're here," Abby smiled at her mother-in-law.

Carol next went to the man she knew as 'Drake'. She smiled affectionately at him and welcomed him with a hug. When they parted she gave him a curious look, he was grinning from ear to ear.

"You remind me of Connor when he was a boy on the Christmas morning and bought me his first Christmas present with his own money. He'd been saving his allowance for months. He was so pleased with himself."

"Mum," Eye Patch said, smiling upon all of them. "Abby has some news..."

!*!*!

Abby collapsed on top of Connor in a sweaty, satiated heap just as the older Connor eased his softened cock from his husband's lips. Connor licked the semen from his lips and continued to knead Abby's bottom as she rode out the last throws of her orgasm, her hips still moving atop him. Eye Patch eased down beside them and hugged his arm around Abby's back, laying his head upon Connor's shoulder and smiling at Abby. They were all eternally grateful for their big king sized bed, that never made a squeak no matter how much punishment they put it under, which over the years was particularly extensive. Connor wrapped his arm around her back and over his husband's and breathed in deeply their mingled scent.

Christmas had been amazing. They'd had plenty of leftovers from the party, and food in the fridge. They hadn't a goose or any of the traditional Christmas fixings, but the frozen pizzas had been just right to Leia's mind. Carol Temple had wept when 'Drake' had revealed the news that she was going to be a grandmother again. She was overjoyed. The rest of the day was spent eating, unwrapping more gifts, bonding as a family and discussing the months ahead in preparation for the new baby. Abby had a new student assistant at the zoo who she thought she could train to cover her maternity leave. He was studying both botany and zoology and had an especially keen interest in the vegetation the habitats were populated with. He had some brilliant ideas and Abby was fond of the twenty year old named Gideon Anderson. After the day was done, Carol went to sleep in Leia's bed, which she'd graciously given up to her grandmother. Leia took the sofa and fell asleep almost instantly, she'd had an exhausting day. Abby and her Connors had retired to their bedroom and any doubts they might've had about the propriety of having sex with Connor's mother in the house were set aside as they traded deep, passionate kisses. They had something to celebrate after all and they _could_ be as quiet as the grave when necessity dictated it.

"Guys?" Abby asked, lifting her head to look at them both. "I've been thinking. Having your mum here reminded me of something, rather someone. If we have a son... I think we should name him Matthew, after your dad." She looked at each of their faces and saw how touched they were by her suggestion. Both Connors, by all accounts, had nearly identical experiences with their fathers, including his death to cancer when they were fifteen. Matthew Temple had been a devoted, loving parent and had a good relationship with his son. Neither version of their mothers had ever remarried and carried a torch for her lost husband, believing one day they'd be reunited.

From the beginning Abby's instincts told her she was carrying a boy. She'd even dreamt about it. He was perfect and blond just like her with expressive blue eyes.

Eye Patch moved over and Abby relaxed into the spot he'd vacated. Both men turned into her and lay protective hands over her abdomen.

"Happy Christmas," she whispered to them.

"Happy Christmas, Abby," they replied, ending the night with a sweet kiss each upon her lips. Abby closed her eyes and smiled to herself. She'd learned a lot about families in her lifetime. She'd been born into a troubled and loveless one, but had found Connor and together with his beautiful double from an alternate dimension they'd made a new one. The love the Temple family had was limitless, and now after all these years, it was growing.

The End.


End file.
